Finding Housing in Paris

Finding housing is a top priority for any student moving to the French capital. However, let’s be honest: finding accommodation in Paris is no easy task, and rents can be very high. The main reason is the city’s development policy, which strictly prohibits the construction of high-rise buildings to preserve the city’s stunning architecture. As a result, every square meter of Paris is already occupied, leaving no room for new constructions. This housing shortage becomes especially problematic at the start of the school year when thousands of students are searching for a place to live.

Please note that Paris School of Technology & Business does not offer on-campus or off-campus housing.

Premium Partner:

Safehouse Paris

Type of Accommodation: Private apartments (various sizes, from studios to six-bedroom apartments), shared apartments, and rooms.

Stay Duration: Minimum of one month.

Location: Within Paris and the inner and outer suburbs (thousands of apartments available).

Prices: From €450 for a shared apartment and €520 for a private studio.

Services: Assistance with the entire rental process., Provision of mandatory housing insurance for renting in France, Professional rental guarantee (very important for international students), Access to off-market offers and discounts through the partnership with Paris School of Technology & Business.

Website : https://www.safehouse.fr

Additional Information

• Special services for students needing official rental documents for their visa applications.
• Assistance with securing visa applications (housing part).
• Services recognized by many French consulates abroad.

Contact SAFEHOUSE (French): : https://forms.gle/827nhEM7gis2uYtd8

Contact SAFEHOUSE (English): : https://forms.gle/6fYdzrvNNpzGcUQo8

Other Partners

Here are some useful websites to help you find housing: whether studios or shared apartments, you will certainly find something that suits your needs!

Locservice : https://www.locservice.fr/logement-etudiant.html

Le Bon Coin : https://www.leboncoin.fr

Appartager : http://www.appartager.com

Adèle : https://www.adele.org/

La carte des colocs : https://www.lacartedescolocs.fr

PAP : https://www.pap.fr

Seloger : https://www.seloger.com

Cohabilis : https://www.cohabilis.org

Different Types of Housing in Paris

Maid’s Rooms

Living in a “chambre de bonne” might seem “so Parisian”… but in reality, it may not be the most desirable option for accommodation in Paris. Located in historical buildings, “chambres de bonne” are individual rooms where maids used to live while working for wealthy families.

Advantages

  • On the top floor, with a beautiful view of Paris.
  • Often situated in historic buildings in upscale neighborhoods.
  • Moderate rent (from €550 to €600 depending on the location).

Disadvantages

  • Very small area (the smallest you can find on the market).
  • Often no elevator, as the rooms are in old buildings.
  • Possible presence of shared bathrooms and toilets, and very basic kitchen facilities.
If you find the disadvantages outweigh the advantages and your budget allows, why not rent a studio instead?

Studios

Larger than a maid’s room, a studio allows you to have your own apartment in Paris! Rent varies from €700 to over €1000 depending on the location.

Advantages

  • Individual accommodation.
  • A private kitchen and bathroom in the studio.

Disadvantages

  • The area is still quite small.
  • You might feel isolated if you’re not used to living alone.
  • If you want to benefit from CAF aid, make sure the landlord has registered the studio as an apartment.
If renting a studio doesn’t suit you, why not try shared accommodation or living in a student residence?

Intergenerational Housing

If you are fluent in French, why not consider living with an elderly person and sharing their daily life?

Advantages

  • A great human experience and the opportunity to meet “real” Parisians.
  • Low or even free rent.
  • Company in good and bad times.

Disadvantages

  • You will need to follow your host’s rules and may not be able to invite others to visit.
  • It is a commitment; the person you live with will count on you.
  • You will need to go through a recruitment process to be selected.

Shared Apartments

Making new acquaintances is undoubtedly one of the highlights of living abroad. How about sharing an apartment with other international students or Parisians?

Advantages

  • Lower rent and shared expenses (rent is around €550 to €750 per person, including charges).
  • You won’t be alone: forget about the Sunday blues, your roommates will be there to cheer you up.
  • You’ll meet other international students or even Parisians who will introduce you to Parisian life.
  • You can live in a larger apartment.

Disadvantages

  • Some rooms may be undeclared sublets, in which case you will not be entitled to CAF aid.
  • Shared accommodation also means making concessions and respecting rules.
  • Students have a reputation for being party animals, and landlords may be hesitant to rent their apartments to them.

University Residences

University residences offer rooms or studios with more or fewer common areas depending on the accommodation.

Advantages

  • Moderate rent: public residences have the lowest rates on the market (from €400 for a room to €600 for a studio).

Disadvantages

  • With low prices, demand is very high, and few rooms are available.
  • Studios/rooms are not equipped with bedding or kitchen utensils.
  • You need to apply very early to secure a place in a university residence.
  • You must be ready to live in a community and respect your neighbors (no noise after 10 PM, etc.).
  • Most studios are actually individual rooms with minimal comfort and space (9 m²), and you will likely have to share the kitchen.

Private Student Residences

They generally offer studios with private kitchens and bathrooms and usually provide many additional services, some of which may be chargeable.

Advantages

  • An interesting option if you want to find accommodation quickly. Some residences even offer online booking services.
  • Accommodation in private residences is eligible for CAF aid.
  • You will have an individual studio.
  • A residence manager is available on-site to answer your questions.

Disadvantages

  • Additional services such as laundry access, kitchen kits, or bed linen may be charged extra.

Aparthotels

A good option if you’re looking for a place to stay until you find long-term housing: renting a room in an aparthotel.

Advantages

  • You can stay for a short or long period.
  • Aparthotels generally have high security and surveillance standards.
  • Aparthotels offer many services (fitness area, cleaning service, laundry service, free breakfast, etc.).
  • You can stay in a private studio (16 to 30 m²).

Disadvantages

  • You will have to pay application fees (the amount depends on the size of the apartment you are staying in).
  • Prices are higher than most other options.

Administrative Procedures

Assistance from the CAF

It must be admitted: living in Paris can be quite expensive. Fortunately, as a foreign student, you can apply for a housing allowance if you stay for at least one academic year. The APL (Personalized Housing Assistance) is granted by the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF), a public institution responsible for all family and social issues. It is commonly known as CAF aid.

The amount you are entitled to under the APL depends on several factors, including the city you live in, your income, whether you share your accommodation, and whether you work or not. You can perform an online simulation to estimate the amount of housing allowance you are eligible for here: https://wwwd.caf.fr/wps/portal/caffr/aidesetdemarches/mesdemarches/faireunesimulation/lelogement#/preparation.

**01.** If you share your accommodation, each roommate must apply for APL individually. The amount of APL is calculated based on your financial resources and the rent paid by each roommate. If you only have one rent receipt rather than individual bills, the total rent amount will be divided by the number of roommates.

**02.** If you live in a student residence (including CROUS residences), you will need to ask the administrative service of the residence to fill out the “Attestation de résidence en foyer” form and attach it to your application.

**03.** If you rent private accommodation (maid’s room, studio), you will need to ask your landlord to fill out the “Attestation de loyer” form and attach it to your application.

Home insurance

In France, home insurance is mandatory: it is the tenant’s responsibility—not the landlord’s—to insure their accommodation. The law requires every tenant to take out home insurance, whether the accommodation is furnished or not.

The law applies to most types of housing: maid’s rooms, studios, shared apartments (public or private)…

However, it is not mandatory for short-term accommodations (Airbnb and equivalents).

In the case of shared accommodation, each roommate can take out their own home insurance or decide to share a single contract listing all tenants. In any case, it is strongly recommended that all roommates choose the same insurance company to minimize disputes in case of damage.

In practice, your landlord or real estate agency will ask you to provide proof of insurance when signing your lease. Without it, the landlord will likely decide not to rent to you (or delay signing the contract until you provide it, if you’re lucky). Remember that you must take out home insurance as soon as you receive the landlord’s proof of ownership.

Water, Electricity and Internet

If you opt for a maid’s room, a studio, shared accommodation, or even a private student residence, you will need to set up subscriptions with electricity and internet providers when you move in. However, in public student residences (CROUS), electricity is included in the charges.

Water: In the vast majority of cases, water is included in the charges, so no formalities are required on your part.

City Gas: Some apartments may have gas heating or a gas stove. In this case, you will need to subscribe to a local gas company. The largest companies in France are Engie and Total Direct Energie.

Electricity: As soon as you move in, make sure to contact an electricity provider to open a subscription. For this, you will need the name of the previous tenant, so ask your landlord to provide all necessary information when signing the contract. The largest electricity company in France is EDF.

Internet: Internet access is rarely included in the charges (except for some furnished studios), and chances are you will need to get an internet subscription when you move in. There are many providers and options available. Don’t hesitate to compare offers to find the best one; keep an eye out for special deals, which are very common at the beginning of the school year. The most popular providers are Orange, Bouygues Telecom, and SFR. They also have alternative companies like Sosh (Orange), B&YOU (Bouygues Telecom), and RED (SFR), which offer cheaper internet and 4G/5G data plans.